Foldable basket carrier



I. A. GRIMES FOLDABLE BASKET CARRIER Jan. 29, 1952 Filed March 20, 1951 vllllllllllll 1 VENTOR. IVAN A. ames AT TO Q N EYS Jan. 29, 1952 l. A. GRIMES FOLDABLE BASKET CARRIER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 20, 1951 A-r TO QN EYS INVENTOR. IVAN A. 6 55 Wflmmz mm Patented Jan. 29, 1952 FOLDABLE BASKET CARRIER Ivan A. Grimes, Woodston, Kane.

Application March 20, 1951, Serial No. 216,565 2 Claims. (01. 280-36) This invention relates to carrying carts, and more particularly to a foldable basket carrier. A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device for supporting and transporting small loads, such as laundry baskets, hampers and the like, said device being simple in construction, involving relatively few parts, and being readily foldable to a compact size when not in use. i

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved foldable carrier for handling laundry baskets, hampers, and similar containers, and for supporting such containers at convenient heights, the carrier device being inexpensive to manufacture, being rugged in construction, being easy to manipulate, eliminating the carrying of heavy hampers of laundry or other material and eliminating lifting and stooping in handling laun dry or the like.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an improved carrier device according to the present invention shown supporting a basket in position for transportation thereof;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the carrying device shown in Figure'l;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional detail view taken on line 4 l of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the carrying device in a partly folded condition;

Figure 7 si a perspective view of the carrying device of Figures 1 to 6, shown in fully folded position.

Referring to the drawings, the device is designated generally at H and comprises a generally H-shaped, front frame l2 having the side legs l3 and I4 and the intermediate horizontal crossbar I5. The side legs I3 and I4 have secured to their lower ends the outwardly directed axle members It and ll, and journaled on said axle members are the respective ground-engaging wheels |8, |8. Designated at I9 is a generally circular ring member whichis pivotally connected at 2B and 2| to the top ends of the respective legs l4 and I3, the legs l4 and I3 having secured to their top ends the respective outwardly extending pin elements 22 and 23 which are received in the apertured depending lugs, desigthe carrying nated at 20 and 2| provided on the ring member I9. Rigidly secured to the ring member I9 is the generaly U-shaped, rearwardly extending handle 24 whose plane is inclined downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the plane of the ring member 19, as shown in Figure l. Designated at 25 is a strut member formed at its intermediate portion with a peripheral flange 26. Slidably mounted on the upper portion of the strut member 25 and limited against downward sliding movement by the flange 26 is a sleeve member 21. Designated at 28 is a link bar which is connected at the back end to the sleeve member 21 for pivotal movement about an axis 29 transverse of the sleeve member 21, as shown in Figure 4. Rigidly secured to, the forward end of the link bar 28 is a transversely extending sleeve member which is rotatably mounted on the crossbar i5 of the H-shaped front frame l2.

The ring member I9 has rigidly secured to its rear portion a depending stud element 3| which is receivable in the top end of the strut member 25, as shown in Figure 5, and which may be secured therein by a clamping set screw 32 provided in the top end of strut member 25, said screw 32 being formed with the right-angled handle 33 to facilitate rotation of the screw. When the screw 32 is tightened, the strut member 25 is rigidly secured to the ring member I9 and the forward portion of the ring member I9 is supported on the wheeled, H-shaped frame [2, said frame being restrained against rotation by the link bar 28 which is connected to sleeve 21 on strut bar 25. From Figure 1 it will be seen that the H-shaped frame I2 is inclined downwardly and forwardly when the carrier is in its assembled position, whereby the load placed in the ring-shaped member 19 will provide a stabilizing effect tending to maintain the carrier framework in the assembled position thereof shown in Figure l.

Secured to the lower end of the strut bar 25 is the rubber supporting foot 34 which may be employed to support the strut member when the carrier device is in a stationary position. Designated at 35 is a bracket or sleeve member which is slidably mounted on the lower portion of the strut bar 25 and which is provided with the respective manually operated set screws 36 and 3! for adjusting the sleeve member 35 in a desired position on the lower portion of the strut bar 25. Rigidly secured to the sleeve member 35 are the opposed, transversely extending sleeve elements 38 and 39 in which are secured the respective shaft elements 40 and 4 l. Journaled on the shaft elements 40 and 4| are the respective wheels 42 and 43. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the sleeve member 35 may be looked to strut member 25 in a position wherein the wheels 42 and 43 engage the ground and wherein the foot member 34 is elevated out of contact therewith. In this position the carrier device may be easily moved from one position to another, as where a basket, such as shown at 44 in Figure l, is supported inthe ring member l9. When the carrier device is to be maintained in a stationary position, the hand-operated set screws 36 and 31 are released and the sleeve member 35 is elevated, allowing the strut bar 25 to be supported on its rubber foot 34, the sleeve member 35 being" secured in an elevated position for such. time as the carrier isto remain stationary,

When the carrier is not in use, it may be iii ereof shown F re the b e p r n of the ha le 2, ma be subs antia e ed fietw'eee the wh l l z and as sho in F ire 7gth eeve3i? ein ro at d 90 te the po ition h e f hen th fce i in it el dcon t m wil be rea ily ap ar r m F g re 7 hat he ca ri r w n n folded tenement s cuei every. sm l'a'm et Q; s ac and may; t d red. X r H n t. o the c r e ar prerieiably orme o tubula m t tsuch as o pipe; whereb th carrier de ie i i in e e and lie vb etia1siren1 th While =1 sea: embed n nt o impro a rier device as been disclosed n th fq eqr 7n the fini f the invenr. sk lledi h rt. There.-

no limitation be placed t 91 teeth-g ader e ri ed compr sing an ti -sha ed frame m er, respe t ip t wi l. be n rs o d that. yet -j t mp a fledg by e cope tive ground-engaging wheels journaled to the lower ends of the side legs of said frame memher, a strut member, a sleeve slidably mounted on end to said sleeve and at its other end to the intermediate portion of the crossbarof said H-shaped folded to the position shown in Figure '7 by first releasing the set screw 32 to disengage strut element 3! t am the ten end at the strut b r 2 he frame member, a ring member pivotally secured to the top ends of the side legs of said frame member and detachably rigidly secured to said top end of said strut member, a U-shaped handle rigidly secured to said ring member, a bracket m mberadiustably secured to the lower portion of said strut member for sliding adjustment thereon, and a pair of ground-engaging wheels journaled to said bracket member.

2. A carrier device comprising an upstanding H=shaped frame member, ground engaging wheels journaled to the lower ends of the side legs or" said frame member, a link bar arranged transversely of said HL-shaped member and having one end rotatabiy supported on the crossbar of said H-shaped member, an upstanding strut member arranged adjacent the other end of said link bar and connected intermediate its ends to the other end of said link bar ior pivotal move.-

ment: about an axis transverse of said strut memher, a ring member arranged transversely of said H-shaped frame member and said strut member and having a portion pivotally attached to the top ends of the side legs of said H-shaped member and having another portion rigidly secured to e t nd of s i st ut mb r a hap e handle encircling said another portion of said ring-member and having the free ends of its legs xri'gidly secured to said'anothe ti portion of said rifle member, ano her er nd' eagins wheel journaled to the lower end V IVAN A! GRIMES.

REFERENCES orrnn 0f QQ TQ 11 e file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name. Date 9 0 Stewar I ---V--+---- Ju 9 y e f ..--e----v--- Sept- 10, 1

of said strut. member. 

